SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTERS NOW !!!

Stay Ahead of the South Korean English Teaching Curve!

Get your own FREE subscription to the "South Korean English Teaching Opportunity Tips" newsletter for ambitious people.

Packed with hundreds of South Korean English Teaching tips, financial inspiration, and personal business opportunities.

You will receive two Trillion dollar gifts that guarantee you build your own financial empire immediately you subscribe courtesy of the President of the Trillionaire Mentorship Network. That's worth over a million dollars and more, yours FREE!

Over Five Million Subscribers worldwide and still growing tremendously... Sign up now for our free newsletter!

Privacy Policy
Full Names:
Telephone Number with country code Separated by dash ( - ):
E-Mail:
  Bookmark and Share
SHARE THIS WEBPAGE
Please endeavor to share our link with the world and with your friends over and over again by clicking on the above link. You never know whose destiny you might change forever by this singular act you do over and over again and how the tremendous blessings in a changed life and destiny will come back to you beyond limits and comprehension all your life and destiny.
Click To Connect With Us On:
Welcome to South Korean English Teaching frequently asked questions page.

Here you will find the frequently asked questions that we get everyday and their answers.

 Please take your time to study all the information loaded here it will save you countless time and pain.
  1. What's the application procedure? First of all it is necessary for all applicants to send us their resume either by e-mail, fax, or mail (see address in the contact us page or by email).

    When an applicant is deemed qualified, we will send an e-mail containing essential information to help with understanding the job and to ask personal preferences, for example, asking what kind of age group the person wants to teach etc; or to ask to submit missed information (pictures etc.).

    Once we gather all your information we need and know your preferences and concerns we will contact you by phone to discuss more things about you and the available positions. Where applicable, a personal interview will take place. If a personal interview is not feasible due to distance, then a telephone interview will be conducted.

    We seldom (practically do not) call applicants before we receive their picture because we are dealing with many people and before we call we also need to see at least some commitment from the applicants by confirming their payments. So if you have not sent us your picture and full data then it is more likely you will not get a phone call from us.

    Once we figure out what you are looking for and what kind of person you are, we will contact the schools where you can fit best based on your experiences and preferences. To contact the schools we need to send your resume and pictures by email.

    When a school (or schools) is interested in hiring you we will send out a contract for your review and will answer any questions that you may have.

    If you like the contract and the conditions of the school, then we will get you an interview. At this stage you will have a chance to speak with the school. Sometimes you speak with the director, but most of the time you will speak with a supervisor or head teacher of the school. In addition, you will have a chance to speak with one or two foreign teachers to ask your questions and to make sure if you are going to the right place. This will help you decide.

    If both parties are satisfied and want to go ahead, you sign the contract and the visa process will begin and you will be on your way to a wonderful year of teaching ESL in Korea. When you start the visa process, we will give you more specific instructions as needed.

    Please do not be offended by being asked for a photograph. It is a natural step in the Korean hiring process to have a photograph of the individual being considered for a position. In Korea every single resume is required to have a photograph or it is not considered to be a proper resume. You will find that it is very common to be asked to send your picture when it comes to getting an ESL job in Korea. Since your employer and we are not able to have a personal interview with you, your resume, a picture of yourself and telephone interview will give us the best idea of whether you are the person we are looking for. We still believe a picture is worth more than 1000 words.

    Required Documents to be sent to us: If you have not sent us any of the documents below, please send them ASAP. Without them we cannot contact the employer. We contact employers first to see if they are interested in your qualification. Once an employer wants to hire you we will contact you and will provide detailed information about available positions.

    -Current resume (this is a must)
    -Scanned copy of diplomas, degrees and confirmation of graduation letter by email
    -Scanned copy of passport (if you already have one, recommended). We only need the first page of your passport showing your picture and your personal information.
    -Scanned passport photos that shows your face clearly (this is a must). Please send at least two pictures. If you want to be accepted by good schools it is better to send nice and professional looking pictures. (If you look like a punk, not many schools will be interested in you!)

    Do not fax the documents! Please send them by email (resume in word format and scan other documents). If you do not have scanner access please send your pictures, photocopy of your diploma and passport by snail mail. Even if you do not have scanner access we need to get your resume by email because we do not have time to type your resume. We need to forward your resume to not just one school but many schools, and it is difficult for us to forward your resume by fax to the schools. You can find our address at the end of this page. Please state your date of availability when you send us your resume. If any recruiter ask you to send your original document he/she is a crook. Do not send your original documents unless you sign a contract

    If you decide to take this position, you must have following documents with you for your working visa issuance (E2). If you don't have any of them with you, your working visa issuance will be refused.

    Necessary Documents

    # Resume
    # Valid Passport: Two copies of the first page of your passport that shows your picture and your passport number. Of course, your original passport as well.
    # Official or unofficial transcripts showing degree granted.
    # Four-passport size photo for your visa processing.
    # Original degree or copy that has been certified by a Korean consulate.
    # Two copies of your signed contract.


    It is important you let me know when you can start work.
  2. Can I see a sample contract? EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR TEACHER
    FIRST YEAR CONTRACT

    The Institute (Employer), wishes to engage the services of the Instructor (Employee), as an English Instructor. The two parties, in a spirit of friendly cooperation, agree to sign to this contract and pledge to fulfill conscientiously all the obligations stipulated in it.

    1.CONTRACT PERIOD

    The contract is valid for the period of one year and is effective from / /2009 to / /2010.

    In the case that the beginning date of the contract falls before the legal entry date (as recognized by the Office of Immigration of the Republic of Korea) the 12 months will begin on the day of your first workday.

    2. PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT

    The Employer shall, at his or her discretion, designate the work place. The Employee shall not engage in other jobs, including part time work or private tutoring during their employment period without the Employer¡¯s agreement.

    3. WORK HOURS AND OVER-TIME WORK
    1) The workdays of the Employee starts on Monday and ends on Friday, 120 hours per month. Daily teaching hours are 6 hours per day. However, working hours is flexible in accordance with the institution¡¯s schedule and in this case both parties must mutually agree. Any hours exceeding the foregoing hours shall be considered as overtime. If the Employee does not want to work overtime, the Employer shall not force the Employee to do so.

    2) If the Employee does not want to work overtime, the Employer shall not force the Employee to do so. When the Employee and the Employer reach a mutual agreement about working overtime, and the Employee does so, the Employer must pay the Employee for working overtime, according to Article 6 Clause 3.

    3) The Employee shall be paid with the mentioned salary in this contract even if the Employee works less than 120 hours per month due to lack of classes.

    4) The Employee must attend staff meetings and workshops, which are not held during working hours however this will not be considered as working overtime.

    5) Classes and teaching will be scheduled in accordance with the needs of the Employee.

    4. EMPLOYEE¡¯S DUTIES

    1) The Employee shall observe the Employer¡¯s work system and regulations concerning administration of foreign experts and shall accept the Employer¡¯s arrangement, direction, supervision and evaluation in regard to his/her work without the Employer¡¯s consent.

    2) The Employee must to try to act with dignity as an English teacher. The Employee must act in this manner during the whole time that the Employee works for the Employer. The Employee shall comply with the laws, regulations and rules of Republic of Korea and shall not be involved in any illegal activities that might damage their visa status and the reputation of the Employer.

    3) The Employee must observe her/his class schedules. Furthermore, the Employee shall attend an orientation, training program, and staff meetings and prepare for their classes as required.

    4) The Employee shall use only teaching materials provided by or recommended by the Employer. The use of supplementary materials is encouraged, but only after the Employer gives prior approval. The Employee shall submit the next month¡¯s teaching plan at the end of every month.

    5) The Employee can be required to interview new students and evaluate their placement level.

    6) The Employee shall not reveal any information regarding her/his class to any other person or to other institutes.

    7) In the event that a dispute arises, both parties shall try to resolve it amicably with understanding of different cultures and customs.

    5. EMPLOYER¡¯S DUTIES

    1) The Employer shall provide the Employee with full support. The Employer shall respect the Employee's dignity and try to keep their relationship harmonious with the Employee.

    2) The Employer shall pay the salary, as stated in this contract, and in case the Employee requests teaching materials, the Employer shall support these with utmost efforts.

    3) The Employer acknowledges the differences of cultures and customs between the two parties. The Employer shall help the Employee to settle into their new residential and working surroundings. If the Employee has any trouble such as sickness and/or accident, the Employer is responsible for assisting the Employee.

    4) The Employer shall not infringe on the Employee's privacy. In case the Employee brings disgrace on the Employer, the Employer shall have the right to ask the Employee to correct the situation.

    5) In the event that a dispute arises, both parties shall try their best to resolve it.

    6. COMPENSTATION

    1) The Employee shall be paid -----million won per month for the regular working hours on, or before, the 05th of each month. The first salary shall be paid according to the workdays the Employee worked. The last utility fee that is not paid by Employee shall be deducted from the last salary.

    2) If the Employee has not worked the regularly scheduled hours due to tiredness, tardiness, absence and etc, the monthly salary will be calculated using a daily rate or hourly rate.

    ©ª Daily rate: Monthly salary divided by workable days of the month multiplied by the actual worked days.
    ©ª Hourly rate: Daily rate divided by 6.

    3) Overtime shall be paid at the rate of won per hour and paid with salary on the payment day.

    4) When the Employee completes the contract without any problems, the Employer must pay a severance payment equal to one month¡¯s salary. If the Employee does not complete the contract then this payment would not be given.

    5) The tax for severance payment and salary must be paid as it is stated in the Korean Tax laws. All wages are to be paid in Korean Won to the Employee¡¯s designated Korean bank account.

    7. INCOME TAX AND MEDICAL INSURANCE

    1) Income tax shall be withheld from the salary at a rate 5 of % in accordance with Korean Tax Law. The Employee shall be provided with the receipts.

    2) The Employee shall be covered by medical benefits under the Korean Medical Insurance Union, Government Health Organization. Half of the premium shall be paid by the Employer with the other half paid by the Employee. The Employer shall deduct the 1.5% of premium from Employee¡¯s salary for his/her portion of the monthly premium and a receipt shall be provided to the Employee.

    8. HOUSING

    1) The Employee will be provided with a non-shared studio room apartment that is furnished with basic appliances and be located within a walking distance from the institute.

    2) The following furnishings are provided: bed and sheets, wardrobe, table, chair, TV, VCR (if cable network is not connected), refrigerator, laundry machine, basic cooking facilities and basic cleaning tools.

    3) Monthly utilities for electricity, water, gas, oil and Internet are the Employee's responsibility. Furthermore, all the expenses regarding his/her meals are also the Employee¡¯s responsibility.

    4) The Employee shall be responsible for the maintenance of the apartment, furniture and equipment. Any damage is the Employee¡¯s responsibility. The Employer will deduct 200,000 won monthly for the first three months, a total of 600,000 won as a deposit for repairs in case there is any damage. This money will be given back in full to the Employee when the Employee leaves.

    5) Upon the completion of this contract, the overdue fee for monthly utilities for electricity, water, gas, oil and Internet shall be deducted from the last month¡¯s salary.

    9. AIR FARE

    1) The Employer has to pay the Employee the airfare from the Employee¡¯s point of departure to the workplace.

    2) If the Employee has to visit Japan to renew the visa after entry to Korea, all expenses shall be paid by the Employer. Return air ticket to Japan and hotel costs, including breakfast shall be included within the expenses. The accommodation fee in Japan will be the same as it is for ordinary tourist. Expenses shall be paid in Korean Won. With exception of the listed expenses, the Employer shall not have responsibility for any other costs.

    3) If the Employee terminates his/her contract before three months after the Employee¡¯s arrival then the Employer has the right to deduct the amount of money spent on an airfare from the Employee¡¯s last salary. However, if the Employer terminates the contract before three months, the Employer does not have the right to deduct the airfare from the Employee¡¯s salary.

    4) When the Employee completes his/her contract, the Employer must pay the Employee with the amount of money that is equal to the airfare home. If the Employee does not complete the contract then the Employer will not pay for the airfare.

    5) The air ticket shall be limited to Economy class only.

    After arrival in Korea, teachers may be allowed a few days for adjustment and school preparation before beginning regular teaching duties. The preparatory period will be spent in the institute preparing for classes and learning the instructional system.

    10. PAID VACATION AND PAID SICK LEAVE

    1) The paid vacation shall be 12 days in accordance to the Employer's annual schedule, only after the initial 3 months. National Holidays, Saturdays and Sundays shall not be included in the paid vacation.

    2) Due to the annual summer/winter break in Korea, from the 12 days vacation period, the Employee may choose to use one vacation segment with the summer/winter break. The vacations will be administered through the Academic Director.

    3) The Employee will be paid for all national holidays and not be expected to work during these days.

    4) Paid sick leave shall be 3 days during the period of the contract. A doctor's medical certificate for such absences shall be submitted to the Employer. However, if the period of leave from illness exceeds 3 days, those days shall not be considered as paid sick leave.

    5) With the exception of entitled paid vacation and sick leave, in the case that the Employee is absent, the Employee¡¯s monthly salary will be deducted according to Article 6 Clause 2.

    11. RENEWAL OF CONTRACT

    1) The Employee must give the Employer a 60-day notice in writing before renewal or non-renewal of the Employee¡¯s current contract.

    2) Both the Employer and the Employee reserve the option to renew the contract.

    12. TERMINATION OF CONTRACT

    1) Both parties will give at least a 60 days notice in writing prior to the termination date of the contract and the Employer retains the right to terminate the contract immediately if:

    - The Employee is unable to discharge the responsibilities or meet the conditions such as being late for class on a continuous basis; continuous failure to keep regularly scheduled class hours and repeated absences from classes without a valid reason.

    - The Employee teaches off the Employer¡¯s property.

    - The Employee uses illegal drugs or is intoxicated during work hours.

    - The Employee participates in any type of criminal activity that corrupts public morals which violates the laws of the Republic of South Korea.

    - The Employee fails to acquire the E-2 VISA because of the Employee¡¯s death, war in the country and/or any accident, this contract shall be terminated.

    2) The Employee shall terminate this contract in the event the Employer does not follow this contract as stated herein, or in the case that the Employer assaults the Employee in a verbal, physical, and/or mental way.

    3) Within 14 days, the Employee is required to sign a notice of termination and accompany the Employer to the Korean Immigration office to notify the Korean Immigration Office of the termination.

    13. MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

    1) In case there are any changes and/or modifications to the contract, both parties must give 30 days prior written notice after mutual agreement between both parties.

    2) Any changes and/or modifications made must be in writing and signed by both parties to be included in this contract. Any changes made to this contract, whether verbal or other, without the knowledge and written consent of both parties are to be considered invalid, and as such are not part of this contract.

    14. VENUE FOR DISPUTES BETWEEN EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE

    The appropriate laws of the Republic of Korea will govern this contract. However, while both parties enter into this agreement with total honesty and integrity, disputes may sometimes occur. In such cases, both parties will be bound by all terms and conditions of this contract and will try to resolve the difference in a civil manner that is fair to both parties. In the event that no solution can be found for a problem and either party decides to terminate this contract, they must do so in accordance with EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT herein. Upon such termination, both parties will agree to remain civil and to speak honestly and fairly about their experiences and not in a disrespectful manner.

    15. TRANSFERAL OF CONTRACT

    Under no circumstances can the Employer exchange, give, sell or transfer this contract or the services of the Employee to another party or Institute without the written consent of the Employee.

    16. LANGUAGE OF CONTRACT

    The Language of this contract is written in English. For the convenience of the Employer, this contract may be translated into Korean upon request and prior to the signing of these documents. In event of a dispute, the English version of this contract will prevail.

    17. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

    1) The Employer and the Employee agree that they have read the entirety of this EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT and no other verbal agreement statement or promise made on or before the effective date of this contract will be binding on the parties.

    2) The Employer and the Employee will act in good faith toward each other. The Employer will not dismiss the Employee without reasons that are reasonably considered as a good cause and the Employee will do their utmost to satisfactorily fulfill all the responsibilities and meet all the conditions as described in the above agreement.

    3) This contract is in duplicate on the date stated at the end of this contract. The Employee retains one copy and the Employer retains two copies.

    The following Employment Agreement is made between the following two parties.

    ___________________________
    Employer                                                                                                     __________________________
    Teacher
    ___________________________
    Date                                                                                                         ___________________________
    Date
  3. Is the above contract complete? Its not, there are many issues still left out intentionally by us to make sure that we do not give you a contract we give to only paid clients we represent.                                                                                                                                                                   
  4. What's the Visa Process?
     
  5. How long does it take to process my teaching job? It all depends on you and your particular circumstances. If you are ready to come to Korea within one month notice, we will make sure everything is ready for your arrival in one month. We can do it for less than a month but in order to get you the best of everything a one month period is your best bet. For the best of the best result a three month period is required. Rushing the process can lead to your getting the worst of everything. Some people say they cannot make it for anything less than three months. We will also work with such a timing as long as its convenient for you.
  6. Do I buy my air ticket? We make sure that your contract includes a reimbursement of your air ticket on arrival and that you will also get a return ticket on departure. This is so because many international teachers have collected funds for tickets and never showed up. However some schools still pay upfront.
  7. When do I sign my teaching contract? You sign your teaching contract before you travel. That way you know and understand thoroughly what you are getting yourself into and make full arrangements to fulfill the terms of your contract to the letter.
  8. What about accommodation? We make sure that you get the best of accommodations in Korea for your level as a foreign teacher and we also make sure that its included in your contract in a reasonable and affordable manner. For example in some cases the school pays for the place and you only pay utility bills. In other cases if the school cannot afford to pay for the place we make sure that its within your monthly budget or monthly salary. In some other cases we make sure that everything is paid for you. We also look into issues like privacy as some schools ask teachers to share residence. If you are coming with your spouse or you expect him or her to join you in a couple of months we try to make sure the contract covers accommodation for both you and your spouse. This is one of the benefits of using us.
  9. What is the term of the contract? Basically its for a one year period but you can sign for even an even higher period but a one year contract is your best option because you might change your mind about where you work and other issues. However there are options for renewal of contracts.
  10. Can I come with my spouse or husband? Yes you can. He too can teach or work in Korea if he has the relevant qualifications. We will help work all that out for you too.
  11. What about if my spouse is not eligible to teach as he is not from the listed countries permitted to teach? We work all that out too. That's our job and we know how, the major thing is that we will make sure he works and earns a living either teaching English or any other reasonable job related to his qualifications.
  12. Will I get a severance pay when I want to leave? Yes and its equivalent to a month pay.
  13. What's the work hours per week? It depends on your salary and your contract. This is where you need our expertise and guidance. Without our guidance and expertise in this area you might be signing a slave bondage contract.
  14. What's the highest salary I can get? It will be based on your qualifications and experience but we always get the best salary available at the time for our clients. This is why you must be ready to travel in once we get you the best. The lowest minimum is $2000 and the highest is $4000 per job per month. This does not include other lucrative opportunities that we will introduce you to that enable you to earn up to $10,000 per month minimum confirmed or your money back through our life time mentorship programs.
  15. How do you then get me a job that pays $7000 a month and over? That's our trade secret for only paid clients but that's what our life time mentorship program does.
  16. What about food, clothing and mixing up with my countries residents? That's why you need our expertise.
  17. How can I pay? You can either pay by clicking on the PayPal link at the bottom of the buynow page by credit card or pay to my Korean bank account. Send email to consultants@southkoreanenglishteaching.com for my personal banking details.
  18. Can I pay by part payment? No you cant because we cannot make a full time commitment to a part payment and we believe that payment is the only real proof of seriousness and commitment.
  19. What if I have only a high school certificate/diploma or an associate degree? We have some recommendations that will fit you but we need your confirmation of payment to be taken seriously.
  20. Why do people find it difficult to pay our fees? If you have it in your mind that you are coming to Korea to just teach English, you will find it extremely difficult to pay our fees but if you have it in your mind that you are coming to Korea to get international exposure, beef up your CV for more lucrative international jobs and to be all you can be with our life time mentorship program, you will find it extremely easy to pay our fees and realize that its important to get all things right the first time or the first year without long stories.
  21. What about my accommodation? We take the time to inspect your accommodation before you come and even send pictures in the mail to you for verification and acceptance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Can I teach for less than 12 months? Unfortunately, we are not able to help people find work for a period shorter than 12 months. The E2 work visa for teaching English is only issued for a 12 month period. There are no teaching English visas available for a lesser period. If you are intending to work for only 3-6 months and then leave Korea you will have to find a school who will release you at the end of that time. BUT you still have to get a 12 month work visa from your employer. The employer may not pay your air ticket to Korea if you are working less than 6 months, and definitely will not pay for any return ticket unless you complete 12 months. You would not qualify for the severance pay when you finish, as it is only applicable after a full 12 months work. If you do find an employer who will accept you for 3-6 months, you will not be in a good position to bargain for higher pay and extra conditions. The employer always has the cheaper option of taking someone for 12 months as the visa process costs the employer. Most employers are not keen to do 2 or 3 visa processes in a year, upset student classes and bear the costs involved if they can just as easily appoint someone for 12 months. You cannot work on a tourist visa as this is illegal. If you are offered a job while on a tourist visa the employer is intending to have you work illegally. If you do accept an offer to work on a 12-month visa and then leave after 5 months but remain in Korea, you would not be able to get other job in Korea until the 12-month period finished unless you have negotiated a special visa release with your employer. Also, you must leave Korea within 15 days of finishing any work contract, unless you have immigration permission to stay longer, or work arranged elsewhere.
  2. My passport is not listed. Can I still get a job? Korean Immigration will only issue the E2 work visa for teaching English to passports holders of the following 7 countries: USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Ireland and South Africa. The Korean immigration office lists these countries to ensure the employers will be able to select and hire a native born English speaker from one of the major English speaking countries of the world. These listed countries officially have English as their first language. Immigration does not allow citizens of other countries such as India, the Pacific Islands or Singapore, (who are all officially dual language countries) to obtain English teaching visas. No exceptions will ever be made, and this rule is tightly enforced. This eliminates many applicants who hold passports from other countries or have other ethnic backgrounds. Korean immigration rules apply solely to the passport you are holding, rather than any entitlement to citizenship or residency in a different country. If an applicant was born in a non-qualifying country or has ethnic heritage of that country, then shifts to a qualifying country and obtains a passport from that country, then they 'technically' qualify for an E2 visa. But they may still find it difficult to get a work offer because of their original ethnic background or birthplace. The applicant must also have fully completed a bachelor degree or higher (completed at a university that delivers education only in English) and have had at least 10 years of English schooling prior to the commencement of the degree. There are no other visas available for teaching English in Korea unless you are of Korean heritage and have family connections in Korea. Teachers on the 'Korean heritage' visa would not have the same benefits, such as airfares and free housing. Our company only works with candidates qualifying for the issuance of an E2 visa from the countries listed by immigration.
  3. I do not have my degree. Can I get a letter from my university instead? Korean Immigration is very strict and 'pedantic' with respect to sighting original notarized (Apostilled)degrees. In the past many people were accepted with official letters from the university, but this is not not allowed. We have never had anyone gain a visa while only having academic records. There are now no exceptions and all applications with university letters were being refused at all offices across Korea. All officers were demanding to sight the correctly notarized original degree. Because of this fact, and the 99% chance you would be refused a visa if you were offered a job, we feel we have to fairly represent your application to an employer so that they are not inconvenienced by offering you employment, and then find out that have been refused a visa when the official paperwork is commenced. You may find that you get a variety of answers with respect to this situation. We have known of some agents who will go ahead and process an application totally oblivious to how immigration will view the paperwork. As long as the candidate tells them they have passed a degree, then that is all they want to hear! We try to keep up with the real situation and give all applicants correct advice so that they realize the reality of the situation.
  4. How long does it take to get a job? Where can I get one? When are the starting times? Jobs are available every month in the private Hagwons. However in the public schools the main hiring times are October- January for starting on March 1st and in June and July for starting on Sept 1st. The timeframe for starting is dependent on your documentation being ready once you accept a job offer. It is no use requesting a job for next month if the employer has to be told to wait another 3 weeks while you get your degree issued and notarized (or sent from another country). If you have an original degree ready for notarization and Apostilling, then you can usually begin a job (with a visa) in 6-10 weeks. If you can't get an original degree then you will not be able to get a job or visa. There are no set terms for private language schools in Korea. They operate all year around because they are business ventures. Korean state school holiday times are July/August and January/February. During these times private schools will tend to offer separate programs that cover the needs of the students. Private schools work monthly sessions and employ all year around. So you can travel at any time, but more jobs are on offer when the public schools are hiring. You work longer in public schools and earn higher but the good part is that they take holidays but private schools in some cases work harder too and pay higher too but some times there are no much holidays.
  5. What jobs do you have available? We have unlimited jobs available and are subject to payments/Salaries required and ability of the teacher to arrive in time. Often we do not publicly list or advertise many of the jobs we have available. Instead, we provide full details of genuine jobs matching applicant's preferences once that candidate confirms his or her payment. We work carefully as a placement agency and try to match the criteria a school provides us with the requests an applicant made. We usually have between 150-600 genuine jobs available, depending on the time of year. These jobs will be in all cities in Korea and will cover a variety of employment places. If you are firm you want to be placed in Daejon or Seoul, we would not offer you a job in Busan, this is wasting your time and ours. However, we will interact and communicate with you regarding good opportunities you may be missing simply because some of your requests don't match the employer's criteria. Some general advertisements from agents which list available jobs (eg. on websites) are often falsely presented. These advertisements are intended to 'hook' applicants into thinking they will receive higher incomes and benefits. Looking through some Korean recruitment websites or reading promises made by agents about 'the perfect job' for you can be time consuming and confusing and most of the time they do not have your best interest at heart but the desire to get a teacher for schools who give them the contract.
    It is common practice to tell an applicant that the job they saw listed is now taken BUT they have another good job to offer. This is a typical 'sales pitch' technique. There does seem to be over emphasis among many applicants on getting a job in Seoul. Unless you are an extremely suitable candidate it is difficult to get a job in central Seoul because of the very competitive market. Many of the jobs advertised in Seoul show high pay rates but are only available if you apply from within Korea. This is because an employer does not have to pay international airfares to bring you to Korea. Many inner Seoul jobs are taken months in advance and teachers often do deals to get their friends into good schools. Other jobs never get advertised at all. There are huge numbers of teachers applying from within Seoul all of the time. If you in Korea and present yourself in person you have a good chance if you appear flexible and are available as soon as they need someone. However, if a visa has to be organized from your home country and air tickets have to be paid, it can be more difficult to get a good job, unless you are a well presented and highly employable candidate. Some employer simply wait for a person to apply off the street or for a recruiter to bring an applicant around for an interview. This has been happening more recently. However, we do get a good number of jobs in Seoul and there will often be an eager line-up of applicants for the employer to select from. Some employers may even hold out for the 'perfect' candidate and will never compromise. To get this candidate, they often give the job to ten different agents, who all advertise the same job simultaneously. In fact, many of the good employers never advertise their jobs at all. Instead they contract a select few agencies (such as our company) to find a teacher. Many of our jobs are never advertised on the Internet and we never sub list with other agents. Many of our employers have obtained all of their teachers through our service for 2-5 years. This means we have good knowledge of the school and can easily arrange for teachers who have been placed at a school in the past to talk to an interested applicant. Just because an applicant qualifies for a visa does not mean they will be selected by an employer. The Seoul area is very popular and good schools will have more than enough choice. There are a variety of myths in the market (re. availability of jobs and pay rates) and the way some jobs are advertised or listed does not help a genuine applicant make an informed decision.
  6. Can I get higher pay because I have a Master degree/teaching diploma / TESOL? You cannot automatically expect more pay just because you have a TESOL qualification or a masters degree. As far as immigration is concerned there is no expectation for you to have a TEFL or TESOL qualification to gain a job in Korea. Many applicants often waste a lot of time and money buying Internet TESOL courses that are not applicable or needed. However, if you have completed an internationally well-recognized TESOL qualification and have relevant teaching experience, then you may be able to negotiate a higher pay rate. Some Hagwons (schools) don't even take notice of the type of degree. It does not matter if it is a BA or a MA, just that you have a university qualification! Most schools need a general conversational teacher (70% of schools). While other schools may be trying to 'impress' the parents and want to promote the skill of the teacher as beneficial to the students. These schools may pay more and may only hire highly qualified people.
    We work with one such academy in Seoul. They only want us to show them applicants with masters degrees or higher, and they will not accept any teachers with science degrees as they do not see 'the sciences' as applicable to English language education. Some schools only want to hire graduates from Ivy league schools in the USA. This may be because they have classrooms with mini-universities themes and they want to sell the teacher as 'elite'. In these cases the teachers are often only employed for their image and not their abilities. Overall, there are no general rules regarding pay for your qualifications and all schools have different ways of assessing candidates. Please refer to this information about qualifying for a good job.
  7. Can my partner/friend and I live together, and work at the same or different schools? We have noticed the lack of jobs offered for couples or friends at the same school. Many schools do not not take on more then one foreign teacher because of financial reasons, lack of students, worries that couples will want their holidays at the same time or fears that couples will leave if something happens to either of them (thus leaving the school with no foreign teachers). We have had 'up and down' times as far as couple/friends placement are concerned. We definitely find it easier if one of the couple is a trained teacher with experience. Employers will be more interested in hiring and make allowances for a highly suitable person. The status of your relationship is also important to the employer. If you are a couple in a permanent relationship (but not married) and you are happy to 'pretend' to be married (even if you are not) then you may be treated better. Most schools have 1-4 foreign teachers and it is a huge problem if more than one teacher leaves at the same time. You may want to work at different schools and share the same housing. In practical terms this would be impossible unless you both obtained jobs that had 'key money' for securing your own house. Very few of our placements have this type of 'key money' housing and it is usually only applicable to inner Seoul. The housing situation is totally dependent on the employers providing for their own staff. No employer wants to provide free housing for a teacher who might be working at another school. If an employer has a two bedroom apartment leased for his teachers then they would expect two of their own staff to live there. Although some schools do provide single studio apartments, which are suitable for couples. Also, some employers get very upset if a teacher from another school is free boarding in their housing. As well as getting free housing this teacher is probably working for the competition. In situations where the extra person has been found, there have been angry confrontations and the extra partner has been charged a rental fee applicable to the general market or asked to leave. The same policy applies to teachers allowing friends who are working illegally in the area to have free housing. In effect the teacher is subletting the director's housing without permission. The best thing is to be extremely flexible with your requirements and requests and allow us to do our best on your behalf. We research all the factors that apply to job offers before we present them to applicants.
  8.  I have a degree but my partner does not. What are our options for working? If you have a qualifying passport and degree, then you can get a job teaching English. You must always pre-negotiate with an employer regarding your friend/partner living with you at your apartment. Do not expect an employer to provide free housing for a partner. Official permission must be sought and consideration given to the partner paying rent, especially if they are provided with their own bedroom. A partner without a degree can't legally get a visa to teach English, and they will be totally dependent on you for income and support. Unless they can gain employment in another occupation, which is very difficult. There is no visa for a fiancée/friend/partner, but there is spousal visa. You have to provide proof of marriage, and it is only issued once the teacher has the ' visa issuance' number. Normally the partner's visa must also have a letter from the employer stating that they wish to invite the husband or wife as well. Be aware that the spousal visa can't be used for working. You must have a separate work visa if you wish to take up other employment. With no degree, the spouse can't get a job teaching English. If the friend/partner is between 18-30 years then you should check out the H1 visa as it allows you to get short term work (but not as a teacher!). An H1 visa is specifically linked to a few areas of short-term work, which allow you to earn money to fulfill the objective of a 'working holiday'. As far as we know all applicants for an H1 visa have had to write a covering letter to the Korean embassy explaining their reasons for travelling to Korea. Teaching English in any form while on the H1 visa is banned, as is anything in the 'entertainment' business. An H1 visa only allows short term work of periods up to 3 months. We know of an incident where a teacher's partner (on an H1 visa) started working at the same academy. The school had written a contract for her that recorded her activities as a teacher aid. However, immigration did a 'bust' at the school, and found this person in the classroom teaching. No excuse was accepted and both parties were heavily fined, and the person deported. A school cannot offer employment (in any form) to someone with an H1 visa. To do so is illegal. Any employment offered to someone with an H1 visa, will probably not include accommodation. In Korea a free apartment is only usually provided in the teaching industry. A general work sponsorship visa can be difficult to obtain but the procedure is the same. You must be hired by an employer that has permission to employ a foreigner and has the capacity to do the immigration paperwork. Employers are more likely to give free housing to a couple if they think they can gain a second 'free teacher'. Some employers will take the risk of hiring the partner without a visa because they perceive the odds of being caught are low. It makes no difference whether the person is your spouse, has a dependent spouse visa or has an H1 tourist visa. They would be working illegally at the school. If you partner is just a tourist in Korea and does not have a spousal visa then they must leave the country every 3 months. With a spouse visa they are entitled to stay for 12 months. Our company will give no employment advice or representation to any person or partner who knowingly works in an illegal capacity.
  9. Can I take my spouse and/or child(ren)? If a spouse does not have a degree then he/she will not qualify for a work visa for teaching. Likewise, if your spouse has a degree but doesn't have a passport from one of allowed countries then then he/she will not qualify for a teaching visa. There are no exceptions. Your spouse's options are to apply for a spousal visa or to enter Korea as a tourist. If you are a tourist then will have to leave Korea every three months to renew your tourist status. A child can obtain a dependent child visa based on the work visa of the birth parent, or the married parent. You have to provide marriage and birth certificates. You would have to complete all visa processing before going to Korea and you would have to prepay air travel costs for yourself and your child. Only your own air ticket is refundable from the employer. The Korean state school system is not suitable for foreign children. There are a few international schools but they are expensive and only within the main centre of Seoul. Alternatively, you could arrange correspondence lessons and supervision of you child. Childcare facilities for foreign children are also expensive and hard to find. Because of the issues involved with the placement of families, we are reluctant to accept applications from people intending on taking dependent children with them. Especially if both the parents intend to be working. Unfortunately, many school directors are not very open towards employing teachers who have children. Especially if the person is intending to work as well as take care of the child. They think it is impossible to raise your child correctly and also be available for the hours you will be required to work. Your teaching timetable will be changing frequently. This makes it very difficult to plan childcare on a 9am-5pm schedule. You could still be at the school at 9pm! Also, there is concern for the child's health. There is no allowance in employment law for a parent to take leave to look after a sick child.
    The number of children is also very important. If a person is intending to bring 2-4 children of various school ages then the odds of getting a job are practically nil. If a couple want to travel together with one baby or young child, and only one parent will be working, then the likelihood of getting a work offer and suitable housing from an employer is much higher. If both parents intend to work and they wish to arrange childcare and schooling in Korea then this can make it extremely difficult to get a job offer. As far as an employer is concerned they have to look at the most economical option, hiring a single person without family is always the first option. In many cases it is unacceptable for a married couple and child to share an apartment with other single teachers. The school will not pay for a family to live somewhere other than the housing provided. Only if the employer has a single unit available will it be possible to not share with other teachers. In this case the apartment may be a very small Korean style studio with only one bedroom and lounge area. Getting accommodation separate from the school can very expensive and hard to find.
  10.  How far ahead can I apply? You can make an application at any time. Jobs are available every month. The timeframe for starting is dependent on your documentation being ready. When you have your diploma issued then you can usually begin a job, with a visa, within 6-10 weeks. We will send you information to help you with the paperwork and help you understand the employment process. If you were intending to go to Korea within a very short time frame (less than a month), you will now not be able to as your paperwork will take longer than this to complete. Also you must now apply from out of Korea for your first E2 visa. Any ordinary travel as a tourist will require that you have a return ticket or a ticket for onward travel. There are many other important factors that need to be taken into consideration as well. Please check our website regarding the time frame of the visa process. It is our company's policy to advise all applicants of the problems involved with a entry as a tourist. We always have some jobs available for ASAP (with a visa of course) . For instance, an employer may have been let down by a teacher not arriving as planned or they may have under estimated their staffing needs.
  11.  I am an ethnic Korean. Can I apply? In our experience, 90% of Korean employers will be expected to hire someone with Korean heritage on an F visa. This visa allows people with Korean heritage to travel to and work in Korea. The qualifications for this visa are quite different from the E2 (teaching) visa. If you are from the USA and have a US passport but you were born in Korea or have family connections to Korea (such as relatives or parents born in Korea) you can qualify for this visa. Employers understand this visa, and often it allows them to employ American speakers for less pay and benefits than a person on an E2 visa.
  12. I am over 40 years old. Would I get a job? There are differences between working for state schools and private schools in Korea. For the government programs there is an official upper age of 55 years. In the private sector there is no official age but most employers prefer to hire younger applicants. Many employers specify the applicants should be between 22-38yrs. In most cases schools treat applicants individually and will consider employing older applicants if they are impressed with their teaching experience and personal character. The determining factors for older applicants is appearance (especially your photo) and resume.
    If you look old, grey haired, bald, or tired looking, then job offers will be minimal. It does not seem to matter to employers that you were highly qualified or have excellent previous teaching experience. Your appearance will be the major factor. It is usually more difficult for older men to gain work because many Korean schools are owned by men and they do not like to employ males older than themselves. There is a respect for elders and age in Korea but this is usually only applicable within the family and not applied to employment (especially when employing foreigners!). Most Korean employers make their decision based on their gut instincts, our evaluation of you, the phone conversation and what you look like in a photo! Employers usually want to know the following. Why do you want to come and work for them? Why did you chose Korea?
    If an older person has varied history of unemployment and travel the employer may see this person as transient and unsettled. The employer may fear that you will not like children if your resume doesn't show that you have worked with children of 4-12 years of age (90% of jobs in Korea have children this age). Your resume should be short to the point and only promote the aspects related to your suitability as a teacher. Details of clerical work, computing, HR management, finances, computer programming or certificates and awards from 20 years ago are not needed and may even work against you. Sometimes it concerns employers that older foreigners may make requests for employment based on their values and personal Western lifestyle criteria. As opposed to thinking that their lifestyle in Korea should be based on the reality and realistic capacity of successfully gaining employment in another culture.
  13. What if the accommodation I get is bad and dirty? This is one of the reasons why we send you pictures before your decide and represent you. Under an employment contract accommodation is a benefit to an employee. The accommodation only has to conform to what is described in the contract. There will be a list of basic furnishings that should be provided (eg. bed, fridge, washing machine and TV). An employer does not have to provide any of the things you may take for granted (eg. microwave, iron, sofa, VCR or toaster).
    Korean employment law does not have any regulations regarding housing provided by an employer. You have no legal right to complain or penalize your employer if the housing and furnishing is as described in your contract. If a recruitment agent promises you housing that is different from what you receive then you should take the issue up with us first. Always check the status of the housing (as set out in the contract) prior to going to Korea. Also, you can check our website for more information regarding housing and utilities.
    Usually a school director will lease an apartment from an apartment owner. He will do this through a real estate agent who will locate a suitable apartment. Your director is not usually your landlord, and if you have any issues with the apartment then your director must request the landlord to complete repairs. There is no guarantee that this will work smoothly and all housing issues should be dealt with carefully. It is extremely uncommon for a director to knowingly rip off a foreign teacher by providing them with substandard housing. The school director is not making any profit on your housing, in fact it is a huge extra cost. Having an apartment with a few cockroaches just mean that your apartment is the same as the majority of other apartments in Korea. Even in warm and sunny apartments you will find friendly cockroaches appearing from the bathroom plugholes. Often Koreans are used to seeing cockroaches and think foreigners are being fussy if they complain about them. These little creatures, along with ants and mosquitoes, are part of daily life in Korea, especially in the hot summer months. Your own apartment hygiene practices will often determine how many little visitors will eventually take up residence in your apartment. Be sensible about sprays and traps and keeping the mosquito net windows closed. As far as the growth of mildew on the walls ... again this is a very common problem in Korea because of the following reasons: Concrete walls that absorb moisture.
    * Poor ventilation systems or humidity (eg. bathrooms/showers/kitchens with windows that dont open or are not opened frequently enough to allow ventilation). Under floor heating which keeps the house too warm with no fresh ventilation. The 'strange' Korean glue that is used for putting wallpaper on coupled with bad application does not help these problems (often rooms are just re-papered every few years). Scrubbing the floor and walls with bleach usually gets rid of the mould. But it will come back if moisture is not controlled. Koreans often just accept mildew on wallpaper as a normal part of life, where as foreigners might be unused to this. The wide range of housing situations often makes it impossible for an outside party (eg. a recruitment agent) to make a judgment on the situation unless digital photos and witness statements are given. Employers and foreign teachers often just have different expectation as to what is suitable housing. Also, simply comparing your housing to other teacher's housing may not be the best way to assess the 'norm' for Korea.
  14. What about the horror stories of working in Korea I have heard about? Our company can understand any trepidation or worry you may have about going to Korea. Also, you will probably come across a variety of horror stories, rumors and incorrect information, as we regularly do. Problems with a number of schools and franchise organizations do exist but they are often a result of lack of knowledge with regard to the law. Also, many recruiters are only working as part of a chain of people and only receive payment for passing on a name. Unfortunately, some agents do not provide realistic information or give full facts about employment laws. This can lead to problems. Also, remember that private schools are not regulated by the government and their adherence to employment law is often naive and simply. Sometimes taxes are avoided and old approaches to managing problems are taken. Add to this the lack of knowledge about cultural differences and you have disasters waiting to happen. As you will hear about in some stories. Also, many people are unsuitable for work in the classroom because they have no training. Even if you are white, have a degree and a passport from USA, there is no guarantee it will be a success. Many people arrive in Korea and are shocked about what they learn of themselves and employment in general. Some try to apply their own attitudes and countries employment laws to Korea. Also, some people get demanding and nasty with the employers. 99% of the stories you hear happen because of these circumstances rather than a school setting out to harm and overwork a teacher. It costs the school a lot of money to employ a teacher and pay airfares. Why would they want to waste this money by deliberately hurting teachers? We provide applicants with a huge amount of employment information and often you can speak to teachers at the school. We do not work with middle agents and never have. We provided a 12-month help and advice service and will investigate problems and breaches of the law. No one will ever be able to give you a guarantee. The same employment situations can happen anywhere in the world. You will not be doing yourself any favors if you arrive in Korea expecting something to go wrong. Many teachers are having fantastic experiences in Korea. It is a pity that they don't post their happy stories but you can see some in our videos section. We can assure you that the general market is not as portrayed in many stories. We have placed hundreds of teachers and have never seen a person fired after 11 months to avoid severance, yet we hear of this as a common horror story! Sadly we have encountered numerous teachers blatantly breaching their own contracts by teaching illegally in addition to teaching at their own school. Rules go both ways. If you are actively looking for the reasons not to work in Korea, then don't do it. Our company will help as much as possible, but we are not going to hold your hand when decisions have to be made. You are a mature adult making a rational decision. You must pick through the lies and distortion of facts. Please research as best you can. If you decide to use our company that is fine, but check everything else out yourself. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Try not to get caught in the hype of going to Korea and forget to check out where you are going as carefully as possible. You must learn when to trust as well and whatever you do, it is your decision and you live with the outcome.
    1. What if I want to leave my job after I have started? In Korea your visa is attached to an individual employer and a specified work location. This is very different to how visas work in Japan. You can leave your job after you have commenced work, but you must carefully check all of the legal provisions and immigration requirements to do this legally. It is not an easy process or simple to organize, and can become a very stressful experience. Therefore, any decision to leave an employer after you have commenced work should not be taken lightly. If there is no breach of the contract by either party and the departure is agreed to by both parties, the following applies:
      * You should always give 30-60 days notice (in writing).
      * If you have worked less than 6 months you will be expected to repay the original air ticket cost to your employer.
      * Don't assume that your teaching hours will be taken in lieu of your repayment for the air ticket. Airfares and wages are separate issues and must be negotiated on a case by case basis between the employer and the employee.
      * Under the labor law, the employer has to correctly pay you all wages and cannot suddenly deduct new 'unaccountable charges'.
      * If you have a land-based phone the school may be suspicious of you making (or have made) expensive toll calls. The phone bill will not come for up to 8 weeks after calls are made. It is a good idea to ask for the phone to be disconnected prior to when you will be leaving.
      * If the boss respects you and is happy to release you then he/she may be prepared to write you a release/reference letter for any new employer (stating that he/she is happy for you to find new work). This is a very important letter.
      * You cannot force, threaten or demand that your employer write you a release/reference letter. If you threaten to withdraw any services (eg. not attending classes), then you could be instantly dismissed without warning. This is legal under the labor law because you are causing a hindrance to the smooth running of the business!
      * You cannot apply for new work until you are cleared in immigration from your past employer and he has released you in immigration. He has 15 days to do this after you finally leave his employment. This same 15 day is also the time you have left in the country after the completion of a contract before you become an overstayer.
      * Once your employer has released you at immigration you are free to gain new employment and submit a full set of your documents to a new employer. This new employer will then check with immigration for your present status and in 90% of cases he/she will phone your old employer, especially if you have an unfinished contract on record at immigration. Sometimes personal information is passed on that will result in the new job suddenly being withdrawn, or the new employer may pay your old boss for immigration clearance so that he/she can employ you. Every negotiation and transfer to new employment will be different.                                                             Leaving suddenly without notice.
      If you decide to leave without good manners (eg. giving suitable notice) then don't expect kindness or sympathy from your present boss, or any new employer you approach for work. Your first employer has the capacity to not clear you at immigration for the remaining months of your contract, and this would mean that any new employer will not be able to employ you. You will be unofficially blocked from getting a new visa job until your initial 12 months expires.                                                                                                                                            Leaving if you think your employer is breaching the contract.
      If you are 100% convinced your boss is breaching your contract and you can provide correct proof of this (not emotional validations as to why you think he is breaching) then you should first consider applying to be heard at a local labor court. Perhaps contact your recruiter first, for their honest appraisal of the situation and for contract information. However, DONT expect that your recruiter will accurately know the labor law and be able to clarify your situation. However, our company does have extensive knowledge of employment law in Korea applicable to foreign employees. We also provide a free consultancy service for teachers we have placed, but may be unable to assist and advise teachers placed by other agents. Do not always assume that you are being ripped off, and have no recourse. In fact, in many cases the teacher's initial assumption of their contract being breached has been based on misunderstandings of the employment law, lack of employment protocols and behaviors, listening to gossip, or reading unproven internet stories of past teachers experiences. Do not assume that because you have seen a 'blacklisting' or bad report for your school, that it will be true. No previous employee's 'grudge' can legally form any part in your own employment complaint.
      IMPORTANT.
      At the time of your very first concerns you should request information on the law and your contract conditions from your recruiter, and if needed ask for mediation with your employer to explain and solve the breaches you feel are happening. Most breaches of contract are 'naive' rather than 'malicious and planned'. And if mediation is done correctly you may find that everything is resolved easily. If you decide to confront your boss and demand an answer to a believed breach of contract, then you may very soon find an atmosphere of mistrust and anger forming. This usually happens because both parties do not understanding the extent of the situation and will not budge from their positions. A true example of a misunderstanding of a contract: "A young male teacher complained to us that he had not been paid correctly and had worked overtime without payment. What he failed to mention was that he had presented a note (in Hangul) to his boss on payday accusing him of being a robber and a cheat and that other Korean staff had read this. The teacher had not checked with us if the pay was incorrect, and when we checked the timetables we found that he had been overpaid for his hours! Things were now turning ugly at the school with a very stressed atmosphere. The teacher wanted to immediately run away rather than face the truth that he had been in the wrong and had made a false allegation. This whole problem could have been resolved early on if the teacher had checked first and later given an apology for his actions."
      Departure within the first 3 months.
      All recruiters and Korean schools have a written (or unwritten) agreement that ensures the employer has a 'guarantee' that the teacher placed is suitable for the job and can do the job correctly. It is important that you understand what will be in place (whether you have been told of this or not). If your employer deems that you are totally unsuitable within weeks of your arrival he may be able to demand that the recruiter replace you at no cost. Of course, if you have decided to arrive on a tourist visa then your chances of being dismissed are higher. For example, if someone better has applied for your job off the street. You do not have any rights if you are working without a completed E2 visa or if your documents are not in immigration. Think carefully about requesting a visa be completed before you arrive. You have no comeback if you don't have a completed visa and you are working in the school. You may find you are on the street with no job! Your recruiter should inform you of this '3 month phase'. For more information please refer to terms and conditions of employment.
  15.  How much can I save? What is the cost of living? If you are only considering Korea so that you can be assured of large savings then you may be disappointed. It is not a good idea to simply try and convert Korean won into another currency and work out a living and saving income based on what you know in your home country.
    Benefits:
    * Your housing is provided free.
    * Your airfare to Korea is reimbursed to you on arrival.
    * If you complete 12 months work you get 13 months pay.
    * Tax rates are exceptionally low .
    * If you work 12 months you get your return airfares paid for you.
    * Everyday food and transport is extremely cheap.
    * Your housing is usually very close to your school making your daily transport costs minimal or nil and your travel times to and from work small.
    Costs:
    * You must pay apartment utilities of $50-150US a month.
    * You may need a cell phone to survive.
    * Foreign food outlets are very expensive (except McDonald's and KFC).
    Usually most people can live on 400,000-600,000 won a month, thus saving at least $1000 US a month. General taxes are about 5% and compulsory. Many employers try to avoid the 4.5% compulsory pension tax. If you get both taxes taken correctly it is about 9%. Do not jump for joy and consider you are saving more if your employer takes no tax from you or only 3-5%. It may be reassessed later at the correct rate!!
    Do not judge any job offer on the basis of tax, because tax laws are the same for every school and legally every employer is expected to tax you correctly. If a job offer is saying 'no tax' it is breaching the law unless they are a university or government institution with special tax exemptions for foreigners.
    Currency conversion rates tend to go up and down according to world events and this in turn makes it difficult to give accurate savings and costs at any particular time. However, it is always cheap to live well in Korea.
  16. How should I get paid? In Korea all employees get paid monthly. Your employer must designate a certain time of the month as your payday, and then make regular payments at that time. You get paid for working the hours allocated in your contract. This is recorded as class contact teaching time only (normally 120 hour a month).
    Public school contracts are usually for 22 hours classroom teaching but 40 hours total onsite. Only hours over 120 hours classroom teaching a month, or over 40 hours a week are considered overtime. In the majority of schools there is no guarantee of any overtime because employers plan staffing to meet the timetabled classes. Also, any hours up to 40 a week are paid at the ordinary rate as the Korean working week is 44 hours. The law only states that it should be time and a half after a 44 hours a week.
    Preparation and planning time is unpaid and so is time between classes (eg. 10 min breaks). You should seek clarification with your director or agent regarding expectations and your job description along with a simple explanation of unpaid tasks that will be part of your contract.
  17. How much money do I need the first month? From the experiences of others you should expect to be able to save about $1000US a month ($13000US a year, because you get 13 months pay for completion of 12 months work). Your saving ability is dependent on your lifestyle, partying, drinking and eating habits. If you run a cell phone frequently, or make international phone calls then your costs will increase.
    With the employer most likely refunding you the cost of your air ticket within 2 weeks of your arrival you should take enough to live on for the first month. Budget approx $400-$800US for the first month and expect the airfare repayment to cover part of that. But also plan that the employer may only pay the airfare back 3 weeks after you arrive, so you will need enough money for food and living until then.
    With a work visa in Korea you can open a Korean bank account and it is possible that your boss will open one for you and deposit your salary in it. Most banks have a debits card for cash withdrawals from bank machines. However, most stores don't accept direct debit cards. You can withdraw large amounts (over $600) from bank machines, so don't lose your card or give the pin number to others.
    Korean banks will not organize automatic or direct payments to overseas accounts. However, you can save in a US dollar account, purchase travelers cheques in US dollars and Euros, or just keep the money in the Korean bank until you need to transfer back to your home country.
    When you leave Korea you may have up to $10,000US cash on you.
  18.  Can I get a job somewhere other than a school? You can only be employed teaching English at a workplace that is registered with the local education office to employ foreign teachers on an E2 or E1 visa. Most corporate businesses and companies are not registered to do this. This narrows down the number of legitimate places that you can work teaching English. If you wish to be employed at a place other than a school, then you should look for an applicable visa that may be obtained for that employer.
  19. Is my employer entitled to know my medical background? Under the Korean labor law immigration requires that you get a complete medical examination when you enter Korea -within 3 months of your first E2 entry. You must pass this medical or your visa is cancelled. Therefore it is important that you complete the compulsory self assessment medical form honestly. If your employer later suspects you are in low health, mentally not coping, or taking drugs, he can legally request you to undergo another medical examination. Because of the adjustment to different climate, new culture and work stress some teachers may find that they have a reoccurrence of previous illnesses (eg. depression or anxiety).
    Therefore, you should understand your own stress levels and 'trigger points', and should be prepared to heed warning signs and seek medical help promptly . Korean employers will be very sensitive to your 'happiness' and general health, so it is important you manage these things properly.
    Our company asks that you honestly declare any previous medical mental illnesses so that we can clarify things with you and make a decision regarding how an employer would look at your medical history. This also helps us to give you relevant advice and help when you are in Korea.
    You will be asked to declare to the employer (if asked) any mental history, physical disabilities or medical conditions (eg. epilepsy or diabetes) as these are medical conditions the employer must know about if they are going to employ you.
  20. What city/area is the best to work in? Korea is a country that you can fall in love with, but it is also a country that can frustrate you immensely. When foreigners think of Korea they will immediately think of Seoul, which is the major city where most foreigners are located. The population of Korea is 47 Million. Just over 20 million people live in Seoul (11 million) and the surrounding province of Gyonggi do and Incheon (9 million). After the war in the 1950's new city plans were drawn up that located many of the new residential areas out of Seoul city. Some of these newer satellite cities such as Pyyonchon, Bundang, Ilsan and Songnam have grown to around 1 million in less than 10 years. Older cities such as Ansan, Guri, Suwon and Bucheon and Pyongtaek have seen enormous growth and economic development in the last 10 years as well.
    The inner city of Seoul is made up of 22 smaller cities or Gu's that encompass half a million people. This means that each Gu within Seoul is in reality a self-governing city of half a million people. Seoul is separated along its middle by the Han River.
    Most of the recent major developments and new housing areas have spread out to the southern areas rather than the northern areas. Seoul is only 64 km from the North Korean Border. The northern areas of Seoul and Gyonggi do province are also more mountainous and include many army bases.
    There are 38,000 US military personnel based permanently in Korea. The US bases are in the process of being moved (in the next few years) to the southern side of Seoul, with major bases in Pyongtaek and Osan. The US military bases are self-contained and the Americans involved in the military mainly stay on base. These bases are like small self-sufficient American towns. There are a number of other American bases in the southern areas of Busan, Jinhae and Gunsan.
    Seoul and the sprawling smaller cities of Gyonggi do are all networked with subway systems, but getting around above ground can be enormously time consuming. Pollution can also be extremely bad at certain times of the year. To get to the mountains and parks you will have to drive for some considerable distance.
    Foreign communities do exist in the smaller cities around Seoul, but there is no one area for socializing. In fact the subway trains in Seoul all stop operating at midnight, making visiting friends and attending social parties extremely difficult at times. In smaller cities without subway systems you may very easily find the hub of the city is more vibrant and your social life is more relaxed and you can get away out of the major industrialized areas much quicker.
    All of the ten largest cities in Korea now have vibrant foreign teaching community. In fact, the small city of Jinju has about 35 foreigners who have formed a fantastic social scene, and we often hear of the great atmosphere in this city. Please read this story from a teacher living in Jinju.
    The success of your placement location will depend totally on your own self confidence, the personal support structures, friends and family you have around you now, the ease of your assimilation into the local environment and the new friendships you form with the locals. Some cities will be ugly and unfriendly to some, and beautiful and vibrant to others.
    There are no instant answers, and just because you may have had a friend who went to Gangseo in Seoul and said it was a great place, there is no guarantee you will find this area great as well. Foreigners change jobs frequently so the 'great social scene' your friend talked about may not exist when you arrive.
    Please have an open heart and an open mind regarding all cities and areas in Korea as suitable locations to work.
    Some basic facts about Korea to think about when considering a location to work:
    * 82% of Koreans live in heavily urbanized cities from 100,000-10 million population. Very few live rural lifestyles.
    * Korea is extremely small compared to the USA.
    * It takes only 5 hours to go from coast to coast and 6 hours from top to bottom (by car). Your location is measured by your ability to travel to many other places. It is easy and cheap to travel with an extensive railway and express bus service that operates reliably and frequently.
    * In Korea many of the coastal or port areas are not what we expect as 'coastal towns'.
    Koreans do not go to the beach as we know it, and when they do the coast from Sokcho down to Yeongdok are the preferred places. This large area of coastline has some smaller cities and very few language schools. Also, the coast line in Korea is mostly highly fortified because of the North Korean factor, thus barbed wire pleasantly surrounds the few nice beaches. All people must be off coastal areas by 7pm at night as patrols start then.
    The famous Busan area of Haeundae beach is closely packed umbrella to umbrella and not a beach resort, as we know them. Koreans love it, foreigners usually think 'oh my goodness.' In the USA, NZ, Australia and South Africa we are spoilt for beautiful sandy beaches, coast and scenery.
    Korean's best-loved and treasured places are the national parks and mountain areas, which are plentiful and easily accessed. Many ski fields exist and there are numerous places you can go hiking or enjoy water and outdoor leisure sports.
  21. How is your company better or different than other recruiters? We have worked successfully in the Korean market for 5 years. Our head office is located in the USA, however, we operate internationally and have excellent experience placing applicants from all qualifying countries (USA, Canada, UK, NZ Australia and South Africa). We do not have business offices in Korea, but do have a bilingual Korean manager in our office in Seoul.
    We operate a 7 days a week help and advice service to all employers and teachers for the full 12 months of a contract and if required we provide employment mediation in the event of contract difficulties.

 

Website Designed By:

Internet Business Keys
A division of Integrity Intercontinental Limited
Tel USA: 1-310-982-6737 
Tel South Korea: 82-70-7893-5292
Tel Nigeria: 234-7066157185, 07055600725
08084224491, 08188387300

www.internetbusinesskeys.com
consultants@internetbusinesskeys.com
An Integrity Intercontinental Group Company.
Teach English in South Korea and in other countries of the world.
SOUTH KOREAN ENGLISH TEACHING.
SKET
                     Home   Buy Now   Our Videos   Trillionaire Mentorship Network   Newsletters   Affiliate Program   FAQs   About Us   Contact Us